Local help →Hampshire, in numbers
Hampshire County Council area — excludes Portsmouth and Southampton. Every figure carries its own date.
Strengths to build on. Pressures to address. Choices to make.
These are evidence-led assessments, not council ratings. Each issue links to a proposed response and the local work connected to it.
strength
County, district and parish councils already share delivery on schools, town access and bus facilities.
A useful county overview connects each scheme to the council and community responsible.
What could help →strength
4.1% of people reported bad or very bad health in Hampshire council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%.
This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.
What could help →strength
34.2% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Hampshire council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%.
Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.
What could help →weakness
More specialist provision is planned while demand and school-transport costs put pressure on the county.
Places nearer home may help families, but buildings alone do not provide the right support.
What could help →weakness
The average home price is £364,000 (July 2026) in Hampshire council area. This is about £71,000 higher than the England average for the same month.
Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.
What could help →opportunity
Rural parishes have awards for better shelters.
Comfortable waiting space helps only when people can complete journeys to work, study and services.
What could help →opportunity
21.7% of people in Hampshire council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021).
Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.
What could help →opportunity
Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Hampshire council area.
Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.
What could help →opportunity
4 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.
A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.
What could help →threat
The county budget depends on savings and careful use of reduced reserves as care needs rise.
Residents need to see which services change and which promised savings actually happen.
What could help →| Evidence and response | Who could lead | Related published plans |
|---|---|---|
| Use joint delivery where it solves a local problemNamed shared projects and the bus-shelter grant programme. | Hampshire County Council with district, borough and parish councils | |
| Match specialist places to children’s needsJune 2026 school decisions and February 2026 budget pressures. | Hampshire County Council with schools, families and health partners | |
| Make bus investment useful for complete journeysDated grant awards; site completion and service improvements assessed separately. | Hampshire County Council, parish councils and bus operators | |
| Keep service decisions understandable under financial pressureApproved 2026/27 budget, reported February 2026. | Hampshire County Council | |
| Make room for homes people can affordThe average home price is £364,000 (July 2026) in Hampshire council area. | The housing and planning authorities, housing associations and developers | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Plan homes and care around an older population21.7% aged 65 or over; 21 March 2021. | Adult social care, local health services, housing providers and transport authorities | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Bring support closer to people in poor health4.1% reporting bad or very bad health; 21 March 2021. | Local health services, public health teams, employers and community organisations | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Connect local skills to local opportunities34.2% with a degree or equivalent; 21 March 2021. | Employers, colleges, universities and the relevant skills authority | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Target safety work where problems repeatUse the dated, complete periods shown in Crime and safety; keep anti-social behaviour separate. | The local police force, council community safety team and relevant services | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |